Apparatus for covering the beds of billiard-tables.



No. 820,929. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

A. M. HUBERT-BRIERRE.

APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE BEDS 0F BILLIARD TABLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. 1905.

2 SEEIITS-SHEET 1.

No. 820,929. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906. A. M. HUBERT-BRIEREE. APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE BEDS OF BILLIARD TABLES.

APPLICATION IILBD NOV. 8, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ALFRED MAURICE vI-IUBER'IBRIERRE, OF PARIS, FRANCE APPARATUS FOR COVERING THE BEDS OF BlLLlARD-TABLES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Original application filed March 26, 1903, Serial No. 149,680. Divided and this application filed November 8, 1905. Serial No. 286,374-

To all whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED MAURICE I-IU- BERT-BRIERRE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Govering the Beds of Billiard-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for covering the beds of billiard-tables.

The invention aims to provide an apparatus by which the uniform stretching of the cloth is effected and the cloth firmly maintained in stretched condition, so that it may be tacked or otherwise applied. to the bed of the table.

The invention resides in an apparatus for this purpose which embodies the novel fea tures, arrangements, and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout, Figure 1 is a detail section of a billiard-table, showing the frame to which the cloth is temporarily applied in the process of covering the table. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the frame during the next step in the operation and the means for stretching the cloth. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a billiardtable having a modified form of the apparatus applied thereto, and Figs. 4 and 5 are depail views of parts of the apparatus shown in i 3.

lieferring to the drawings, A denotes the top portion of a billiard-table of the wellknown type, said top portion being constituted by a lower layer B of wood and a top covering of slate. A rigid rectangular frame embodying a number of strips M, detachably interconnected at their corners, is placed about the table, the faces of said strips being applied. to the sides of the table in the manner shown in Fig. 1 and the edges of the same being projected upwardly slightly beyond the table-top. The cloth 6, which is to be applied to the table, is then laid wrong side up over the same and the edges applied by means of tacks or similar fastenings to the upper edges of the strips M, constituting the cloth-holding frame. The small overlapping portion 7 of the cloth enables the same to be drawn down at the sides of the table during a subsequent operation. During the fastening of the cloth to the frame the latter is main.-

the latter is deemed tained in position against the table sides by means of screws (1.

After the cloth has been attached to the frame in the manner indicated the said frame is removed from the table after unscrewing the screws 61, and reversed, so that the smooth side of the cloth is new uppermost, the frame taking the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The strips or beams M are then detached from each other, and each is turned outwardly through an angle of ninety degrees, so that it assumesthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the point of attachment of the cloth being thus disposed immediately adjacent the table sides and slightly below the top of the same. Each strip M is provided with a number of apertures or openings g, passing through the faces of the same, and through said openings are passed downwardly a number of bolts h. WVashers i are preferably interposed between the heads of said bolts h and the strips M. The lower portions of said bolts h are threaded in the manner shown and adapted to en gage suitable supports, illustrated as anglepieces n, projecting outwardly from the sides of the table and secured to the latter by means of screws p. When the stretching of the cloth is to be commenced, the bolts h are simultaneously rotated, so as to be uniformly fed downward-1y through the anglepieces or brackets a, carrying with them, as will be obvious, the strips M, and consequently the cloth 6. When the tension in suflicient,-the feeding of said bolts is discontinued and. the cloth tacked. to the sides of the table by means of tacks r entering the wooden part of the table; The cloth is then. cut below the tacks and the frame M, brackets n, and bolts h removed for use in connection with the next table to be covered.

In the modified form of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 the cloth is placed directly in the position which it is intended to occupy when used-win, with the smooth side upward. Brackets t are applied to the part B of the table by means of screws 15 and serve to support the strips M with one edge disposed towardv but spaced from the slate part of the table-top. In this form of the apparatus the cloth is applied to the strips M of the frame by means of cleats a, countersunk at the upper inner corner of said strips, as shown. After the cloth has been uniformly spread over the table and attached by means of the cleats u, to the frame, the strips M being meanwhile supported by the brackets if, said strips being screwed to said brackets by means of screws m, the brackets 25 are removed and bolts 7i, similar to those previously described, are passed downwardly through the apertures in the frame-strips, so as to engage with their lower threaded ends the threaded opening in the head of a screw '0, which is disposed laterally with respect to the table, being adjustable toward and away from the same in a threaded opening 72 in a plate 71*, applied to the side of the table by means of screws passing through openings 1?. It is obvious that by adjusting-the screws 7) the distance of the may be regulated. Of course a number of screws 11 are used upon each side of the table corresponding in number to the bolts employed. In order to stretch the cloth after it has been applied to the frame, the bolts h are fed downwardly, as before described, and the cloth thus uniformly stretched. When this has been accomplished, the cloth is tacked in the manner previously indicated and the tension apparatus removed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an apparatus for coverin billiardtables, the combination of a rigid c oth-holding frame embracing the table on all sides, and means for feeding said frame in downward direction.

2. In an apparatus for covering billiardtables, the combination, with the table, of stationary supports carried thereby at the sides thereof, a cloth-holding frame, and means adjustably connecting said frame and said supports. I

bolts 72. from the table l 3. The combination, with the table, of a plurality of supports projecting laterally from the sides thereof, a cloth-holding frame,

I and tensioning members engaging said frame and having threaded engagement with said supports.

4. In an apparatus such as described, the combination, with the table to be covered, of the frame provided with openings, the bolts passing downwardly through said openings, and the relatively fixed members engaging the lower threaded portions of said bolts.

5. In an apparatus for covering billiardtables, the combination, with the table to be covered, of a frame surrounding the same on all sides, members projecting outwardly from l said table below the top of the same and provided at points spaced outwardly from the table sides with vertically-threaded openings, and bolts passing through said frame l and engaging said openings.

6. 11 an apparatus for covering the beds of billiard-tables, the combination, with the table to be covered, of the frame surrounding the same and constituted by the'strips M,

l said strips being provided with openings 9, the angle-pieces it applied to the sides of the table and having portions extending laterally therefrom, and the bolts h passing through said openings 9 and having threaded engagement with the laterally extending portions of said angle-pieces.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED MAURICE HUBERT-BRIERRE.

Witnesses:

EMILE LEDRET, HANsoN 0. (10x12. 

